Electrically-heated pressing and laundry iron



May 11,1926; 1584 4-13 T. WALLACE ELEGTRICALLY HEATED PRESSING ANDLAUNDRY IRON Filed Jan. 7. 1921 2.Sheets-Sheet 1 1 T- WALLACEELECTRICALLY HEATED PRESSING AND LAUNDRY IRON Filed Jan. 7. 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented t 11, was.

tss au THO WALLACE, @F WABASH, INDIANA.

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BY men.

Application iiled January 7, 192i. Serial No. 435,713.

Generally stated, my invention relates to laundry and pressing ironsthat are heated by electricity passing through certain of their internalparts, and consists of means for automatically breaking the circuit betweenthe terminals, when the irons are notin use. together with meansfor automatically completing the circuitwhen pressure is applied to thehandle of the iron during use.

My object then is. to provide an iron that if left on inflammablematerial, cannot generate enough heat to start a tire. An electricallyheated flat-iron containing my improvements can be left on clothing orwoodwork andthe moment the hand of the user is taken ofi the iron thecurrent is automatically shut 0%, also when the user commences maticallybreaking the circuit. Fig. 2 is an end part-elevation of the handle.Fig. 3 shows-the formation of the top end of the rod at. Fig. 4c is apartvertical section on the line 44 on Fig. hand viewed in the directionof the arrows. Fig. 5 is a plan of the switches, with the rod removed.Fig. ti

" is a vertical section on the line tit3 on Fig.

5 and viewed in the direction of the arrows of the switch plates 6 and 7I. with the rod t and the member 8 removed. Fig. 7 is a View of a fiatiron. stood on end showing how the switch-bar 11 is actuated by contactwith the surface uponwhich it stands and the weight of the iron. Fig. 8is a plan view of the iron on a special stand. Fig. 9 is an end viewofFig. 8. Fig. 10 shows a mo' cation of the foregoing, the automaticcircuit breaker is placed in the handle of the iron, instead of thebody. I

Referring more articularly to the difierent drawings in w ch thenumerals denote the same parts throughout, Fig. 1 shows my invention inthe form as preferred'by me. Parts 1. 1. Figs. 1, 4, and 8 are im nalsfor holding the contact plug 16, Fig: 3' and 9. Parts 2, 6, 7 and 14:are switch or contact-plates which when brought into contact with eachother, by means of premiere on the handle 3, down the rod 4, or alongthe rod 11, completes the circuit between the terminals 1, 1. The ironis formed with upstanding supports :20 at. its opposite ends (one onlyof which is shown) and the handle 13 contains a rod 18 one end of whichextends through a vertical slot; 17 in one of the supports 20 shown inFig. 1; 19 is a recess in the end of the handle 3 permitting the handleto be pushed down a distance of about of an inch. when the iron is inuse. The rod 4: attached at its upper end to the handle 3 by means ofthe bolt or pin 18 passing through the eye of the rod 4 Fig. 3, causesthe rod to descend upon the switch plate 6 and thereby complete thecircuit between the terminals 1, 1.

When the user takes his hand ofi the handle of the flat-iron thespiralspring 5 pushes the handle 3 back into the position as shown at Figs. 1and 2 automatically breaking the electrical circuit between theterminals 1, l.

The rod at is screwed into the top plate 2 as shown at Figs. 1 and 6. 8,Fig. 1, is the electrical connection between the switch plate 6 andwhatever heating unit may be used in the body of the fiat iron. 25,Figs. 1 5 and 6, are various insulators. 33, is an insulating collar forthe terminals 1, 1, Fig. 1. 9, Fig. 1, is the inside iron.

10, Figs. 1 and 4 is a support for the rod 11. 12, is a spiral spring tocause-automatic breaking of the circuit. 13 is a collar on the end vofthe rod 11. 15, Figs. 1. i, 8 and S are legs screwed into the base-ironfor use as shown at Fig. '8'.

22, Fig. 9, is an upstanding support, attached at its bottom end to thestand and at its top end carrying a pressure bar 24; pivotally connectedby the member 23, and pressing on the handle 3. This enables the user toheat the iron withoutholding it in the hand. Also the pivotal connectionof the bar 24 causes it to swing out of use when the iron is taken oi?the stand. When the bar is rcqui to connectthe current, it must beplaced there purposely.

Figure 10, shows a modification ot the means for automatically brea orcomple the electrie circuit ween the terminals. The handle 28 and 29 ofthe iron is here shown horizontally and centrally diride-d. The part 28is caused to rise by means of the springs 27 op the switch plates 26connected to the wires 30 which de scend the handle support 3%, to theconnections in the body 36 is a plate for holding the top part of thehandle 28 in position; Any of the means well known to the state of theart, may be used for connecting the wires at 31.

The horizontal switch bar 11, and its switch plate 14 Fig. 1, is notessential to the true working of the plunger 4 and its switch plates 6and 7.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a 1. Incombination with a stand for a flatiron, an upstanding support attachedat its lower end to the stand, and a horizontal arm pivoted on saidsupport on a substantially vertical axis for downwardly pressing uponthe handle of a flat-iron positioned on said support.

2. In an electrically heated flat-iron having a switch for controllingthe su plying of current thereto, comprising a re atively stationarycontact member and two movable contact members, all of said membersbeing normally out of contact, means for moving one of said movablecontact members into engagement with said stationary contact member, andmeans operating automatically, when the iron is stood on end, to movethe other of said movable contact members into engagement with both ofthe other contact members.

In an electrically-heated fiat iron, the combination with its bodyportion of standards located at opposite ends thereof, a handle mountedon said standards and movable up and down thereon, a switch devicemounted on the iron and formed of members normally spaced apart, aplunger operatively engaging said handle and adapted when depressed toclose said switch, said switch automatically moving to open positionwhen said plunger is elevated, and a spring surrounding said plunger andinterposed between the body of said iron and said handle for yieldinglyholding said handle and plunger in elevated position.

4. In an electrically-heated flat iron, the combination with its bodyportion of standards located at opposite ends thereof, one of saidstandards containing a slot, a handle mounted on said standards, saidhandle having a portion which extends into said slot and is movable upand down therein, a switch device mounted on the iron and formed ofmembers normally spaced apart, a plunger rod operatively engaging saidportion of said handle and adapted when depressed to close said switch,said switch automatically moving to open position when said plunger iselevated, and a spring surrounding said plunger and interposed betweenthe body of said iron and said handle for yieldingly holding said handleand plunger in elevated osition.

5. In an electrica ly-heated flat iron, the combination with its bodyportion of standards located at opposite ends thereof, one of saidstandards containing a slot, a handle mounted on said standards, saidhandle comprising a body portion and a rod surrounded by said bodyportion of the handle and extending lengthwise of the latter, said rodextending into said slot and being movable up and down therein, a switchdevice ,mounted onthe iron and formed of members normally spaced apart,a plunger-rod operatively engaging said first referred to rod andadapted when depressed to close said switch, said switch automaticallymoving to open position when said plunger is elevated, and a springinterposed between the body of the iron and said handle for yieldinglyholding said handle and plunger in elevated position.

THOMAS WALLA CE.

